Parma Ham Salad, Lemon Sole, Mango Pavlova
Parma Ham, Melon and Warm Fig Salad
(Serves 8)
This can be served on individual plates as a starter or on a platter to pass round. This dish is so attractive so it is important to use orange fleshed melon. Be careful that the figs are not over-ripe as they will be mushy when fried. If the figs are very large they can be sliced rather than quartered.
What do I need?
Half Cantelope melon, just ripe
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 x 85g packet rocket
8 thin slices Parma ham
8 just ripe figs, sliced in half through the stem
What do I do?
Remove the seeds from the melon. Slice in half, then each in half again giving four wedges. Remove the peel, then cut the ribbons from the melon, this can be done on a mandolin or a potato peeler - I find it best to do this along the side of the melon wedge. If you find ribbons difficult to cut just cut the melon in thin slices. Set aside.
Mix the balsamic and oil together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the rocket on eight side plates and curl the melon and Parma ham and arrange over the rocket.
Brush the cut side of the figs with a little oil. Heat a ridged frying pan on the boiling plate and fry the figs cut side down for 2 minutes until tinged brown and warm.
Arrange two halves on each plate, pour over dressing and serve at once.
Prepare ahead
The individual plates can be arranged with the rocket, Parma ham and melon, covered in cling film and kept in the fridge for up to 3 hours. The dressing can be made and kept in the bowl. Fry figs to serve and dress just before serving.
Lemon Sole with Pancetta Pockets
(Serves 4)
This simple dish looks and tastes stunning - sure to impress every guest. Choose really fresh sole and ask the fishmonger to skin it. You can do this recipe with plaice fillets also if liked.
What do I need?
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 rashers of pancetta or streaky bacon
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp anchovy sauce
Salt and black pepper
4 large lemon sole fillets, skinned
A little melted butter
Little paprika
To finish
50g (2oz) butter
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbps fresh parsley, chopped
4 lemon wedges
What do I do?
Butter and season the base of an ovenproof dish big enough to take the sole in a single layer.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for a minute on the boiling plate, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 15 minutes until tender.
Snip the pancetta into small pieces, add to the onion and return to the boiling plate and fry until crisp. Transfer to a plate and leave to become completely cold. Then stir in the parsley, anchovy sauce and black pepper.
Arrange the fillets in the buttered dish skinned side uppermost, season the fish and divide the stuffing into four then spoon in the centre of the fillets. Hold each end of the fillet and twist in opposite directions to form a pocket showing the stuffing (rather like a straight croissant). Brush the fillets with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika.
Slide the dish on to the second set of runners in the roasting oven for about 10-15 minutes until the fish is just cooked.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the lemon juice and parsley and pour over the sole. Serve at once with additional lemon wedges.
Conventional cooking
Bake in the pre-heated oven 180ºC/ 160º (fan)/ gas 4 for about 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked and has turned a matt white.
Prepare ahead
Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Not suitable for freezing.
Mango and Passion Fruit Hazelnut Pavlova
(Serves 8)
This is a wonderful summer dessert or perfect for any occasion. Don't worry if the pavlova cracks on the top - this is all part of its charm. Make sure that the hazelnuts are fairly coarsely chopped, this gives a good texture to the pavlova.
What do I need?
4 egg whites
225g (8oz) caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
2 tsp white wine vinegar
50g (2oz) shelled and roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
For the filling
150ml (5 fl oz) double cream, lightly whipped
1 x 200g tub Greek yoghurt
4 passion fruit
1 large ripe mango, cut into slices
For the coulis
4 good tbsp lemon curd
2 passion fruit
What do I do?
Lay a sheet of non-stick baking parchment on a large flat baking tray and mark with a 23cm (9 inch) circle. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/ 140º (fan)/ gas 3.
Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk on full speed, until stiff and looks like cloud.
Add the sugar, one teaspoonful at a time, still whisking at full speed until it has all been used.
Blend the cornflour and white wine vinegar together in a small bowl and fold into the meringue mixture with the hazelnuts.
Spoon the mixture into the circle marked on the non-stick baking parchment on the baking tray and spread out gently so that the meringue forms a 23cm (9 inch) circle, building the sides up well so that they are higher than the middle.
Bake in the simmering oven for about 2 hours until the pavlova is firm and easily comes off the baking parchment. If still a little sticky, sit on a tea towel on the lid of the simmering plate to dry out for about 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the pavlova from the baking tray, peeling off the baking parchment and slide onto a flat serving plate.
To make the filling
Mix the whipped cream and yoghurt together in a bowl.
Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the seeds and juice, stir with the mango slices. Mix half the fruit with the cream and yoghurt.
Spoon into the centre of the pavlova, decorate with the remaining mango and passion fruit mixture. Leave in the fridge for about 1 hour before serving.
To make the coulis
Mix the lemon curd with the scooped out seeds and juice from the passion fruit and serve with the pavlova.
Conventional oven
Place in the pre-heated oven but immediately reduce the temperature to 150ºC/ 130º (fan)/ gas 2. Bake the pavlova for about 1-1¼ hours until firm to the touch and a pale beige colour. Turn off the oven and allow the pavlova to become quite cold in the oven.
Prepare ahead
The pavlova can be made up to a week ahead and kept wrapped in a cool place. Unfilled pavlova freezes well.
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